Hanger



Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE moan Edwin A. Wort,Detroit, Mich, assignor to Blaw- Application March 4,

, Claims.

This invention relates generally to hangers and, in particular, tohangers especially adapted for supporting overhead pipe lines.

The problem of supporting overhead pipe lines 5 is a serious one in manyapplications and especially so in steam supply lines required in powerplants and industrial establishments. Such lines are subject toexpansion and contraction resulting from temperature changes andvibration and shock occasioned by their connection to rotating machineryas well as the pulsations in the flow of steam through the line. Becauseof these conditions, it is desirable to support the pipe in such manneras to permit lateral and longitudinal swinging movement therein withinreasonable limits.

Pipe lines are usually supported from the structural frame of thebuilding wherein they are located. Hangers as previously constructedhave been characterized by considerable rigidity with little or nofreedom for limited pivotal movement relative to the frame members towhich they are secured. Because of the number of pipe lines required incertaininstallations such as power sta- 5 tions, there is not sufiicientclearance to permit the hangers to swing bodily to even the limitedextent permitted by their construction, and as a result the pipe line issupported rigidly instead of resiliently, as desired.

The present invention overcomes the frequently encountered difilcultymentioned above by providing a pivotal connection within the hangeritself which permits a considerable degree of angular movement betweenthe portion of the hanger secured to a fixed support and that attachedto the pipe line to be supported. In a preferred embodiment, theinvention comprises a coil spring having a suspension in the form of acasing or frame, and a bearing plate resting on the spring. A hanger roddepending from the bearing plate supports the pipe. The bearing plateand hanger rod have cooperating engaging surfaces which permit relativeangular movement therebetween. A more complete under standing of theinvention may be obtained from the following detailed descript onreferring to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferredembodiment and modification thereof. In

the drawing: a

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through one form of hangerin accordance with the invention, parts thereof being shown inelevation;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a modified 55 form of the invention;

mpany, a corporation of New Jer- 1938, Serial No. 193,943

Figure 3 is a similar view showing a further modified form of hanger;and

Figure 4 is an enlarged section through the bearing plate and hangerrod, taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Figure 1. 5

Referring now in detail to the drawing, and particularly, to Fig. 1 forthe present, a preferred form of hanger comprises a frame or casingwhich may conveniently take the form of a short section of pipeindicated at i0 having a closure Ii welded to its upper end as at l2 andprovided with a lug I3. The lug I3 is drilled to receive a hanger boltl4 traversing clamps l5 engaging the flanges of a girder, beam or otherfixed frame member l6.

An annular member IT is secured in the lower end of the tubular casingID as by welding at l8 and is provided with a central opening IS. A coilspring 20 disposed coaxially with the casing l0 rests on the member H. Abearing plate 2| rests on the spring 20. A hanger rod 22 having aturn-buckle 23 incorporated therein depends from the plate 2i, throughthe spring 20 and the opening iii in the annular member H. The lower endof the rod 22 is formed into an eye 24 for receiving a bolt 25traversing lugs 26 on a collar or strap 21 embracing a pipe line 28.

Referring now to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the bearing plate 2i has afrusto-conical seat 29 formed centrally thereof. The seat 29 is adaptedto be engaged by a head 30 welded onto the upper end of the hanger rod22 as at 3|. The head 30 has a spherical surface 32 and sufficientclearance is provided between the plate 2! and the rod 22 to permitpivotal movement of the latter relative to the former. It will beapparent that the conformation of the conical surface 29 and thespherical surface 32 permits universal movement of the rod 22 relativeto the plate 2|. The opening I!) in the annular member I1 is sumcientlylarge to permit a considerable degree of angular movement of the rodrelative to the plate 2| and the remaining parts of the hanger.

It will be readily appreciated that the hanger described above permitsthe portions of the hanger attached to a fixed support and to the pipeline, respectively, to pivot between extreme positions at considerableangles to each other as contrasted with the relatively rigid hangerspreviously known. This permits considerable vibration of the pipe linein alldirections, even though the casing in is rigidly anchored to asupport. The coil spring 2!] permits the desired amount of verticalmovement of the pipe line and the turn buckle 23 facilitates adjustment0! the initial stress in the spring.

Figure 2 illustrates a modification 01' my hanger which difiers fromthat of Figure l principally in theuse of a spring 20 in addition tothat shown at 20. A longer casing i0 is provided to enclose both springsand a separator 33 is disposed between the latter. Otherwise, the hangerof Figure 2 is similar to that of Figure l, and cor responding partsthereof are indicated by the same reference numerals. The type oi hangershown in Figure 2 provides greater resilience by reason of the increasedlength of spring contained therein.

Figure 3 illustrates a further modification which is similar to that oiFigure 1, except that the hanger rod 22 thereof is quite short so thatthe turn buckle 23 actually is disposed for the most part in the casingit. This type at hanger is particularly useful in locations where headroom is limited.

Although I have illustrated and described herein but a preferredembodiment of my invention with certain modifications, it will heunderstood that changes in the construction disclosed may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A hanger comprising a coil spring, a hanger rod extending thereinto,a plate hearing on said spring, cooperating means on said plate and rodproviding a pivotal mounting the iatteaand means ior suspending said 2.A hanger comprising a coil spring, a plate bearing thereon, a rodengaging said plate, cooperating surfaces on said rod and platepermitting pivotal movement thereof, and means for supporting thespring.

3. A hanger comprising a coil spring, a suspension for said springincluding an annular member on which the spring rests, a hanger rodextending through said spring and member, and a plate engaging saidspring, said rod having a pivotal connection to said plate, saidsuspension also including means for supporting said annular member.

4. A hanger comprising a coil spring, a supporting frame thereforincluding a member having an opening therein, said spring resting onsaid member in alignment with said opening, a hanger rod dependingthrough said spring and opening,

and a bearing plate resting on said spring and having a pivotalconnection with said rod, said opening being large enough to permitpivotal movement of the rod relative to said plate.

5. A hanger comprising a tubular housing, a suspension for the housing,a disc secured to one end of the housing and having an openingtherethrough, a coil spring seated on said disc, a plate resting on saidspring, a hanger rod depending through said spring and disc, andcooperating engaging surfaces on said plate and rod permitting relativeangular movement therebetween.

